Xi Xianya saw no contempt or disgust in his eyes, only an unfathomable calm. She couldn't help but ask, "Don't you think I'm dirty?"
Ai Yifeng shook his head. He wanted to comfort her but didn't know how to say comforting words.
Xi Xianya continued, "When I first recognized Zhao Jianhua as my godfather, I actually wanted to rely on him. I fantasized that he would be kind enough to solve all my difficulties. But in the end, I became his plaything..."
"If you don't go home, you can only hide for a while. Can you hide forever?" Ai Yifeng asked, worried about her.
She couldn't answer Ai Yifeng's question and didn't know what to do after tonight.
"I want to go to the restroom." She tried to stand up, still feeling pain in her ankle.
Ai Yifeng pointed towards the direction of the restroom in the house and helped her walk over.
She walked into the restroom, closed the door, and supported herself against the wall as she slowly moved to use the toilet.
When she came out, she found Ai Yifeng holding a first-aid kit.
"You know how to treat a sprained ankle?"
Ai Yifeng gestured for her to sit down and said, "Sit properly first, let me see where the injury is."
Xi Xianya sat back on the sofa, looking at him with disbelief.
He squatted down, took off one of her shoes, and prepared to take off her socks.
She bowed her head shyly and said, "I'll do it myself..." but accidentally bumped her forehead against his.
She covered her forehead in pain, grimacing.
"Sit still and don't move," Ai Yifeng's tone became firm, and he took off her socks.
The pain in her forehead subsided in a few seconds, and she had to sit obediently on the sofa.
Ai Yifeng tried to help her move her ankle joint.
But as he turned her ankle, she cried out in pain.
"It's probably just a strained ligament, not a bone injury. I'll rub it with medicinal wine for you. You'll have to bear the pain." Saying this, he took out a bottle of liniment from the first-aid kit.
Xi Xianya hummed. She remembered how her father used to rub her ankle when she sprained it as a child.
Her gaze towards Ai Yifeng became particularly affectionate.
Ai Yifeng hadn't massaged anyone's feet in a long time. When Ai Yiwei injured her foot at home, she would always act spoiled and cry out in pain to him.
He would carefully rub it with medicinal wine, and by the next day, Ai Yiwei's foot would hurt less.
The medicinal wine he had now was still the same brand as before, but the thought of Ai Yiwei still filled him with unspeakable resentment.
"Don't be afraid, I'll be gentle," Ai Yifeng said, pouring the medicinal wine into his palm, rubbing his hands until they were warm, and then gently placing them on Xi Xianya's ankle.
Xi Xianya endured the pain without a sound. She noticed his movements were skillful and was surprised he knew about treating bruises and sprains.
She couldn't help but feel a stir of affection for this man who was looking down at her feet, wanting to grasp this rare warmth, fearing it would slip away.
"That's enough," Ai Yifeng said, putting away the medicinal wine. "I can't rub it too much tonight, otherwise, even if it relieves the pain, your ankle will swell significantly tomorrow."
He didn't hear Xi Xianya's response. He stood up and said to her, "You sleep on the sofa tonight, I'll get you a quilt."
Xi Xianya, however, suddenly hugged his waist tightly and said softly, "Don't go, stay here with me."
Ai Yifeng wanted to push her away but felt an inexplicable reaction to her, and his heart began to panic.
Perhaps Xi Xianya's experience had stirred up too many memories in his heart, and all the sorrowful emotions surged up.
Xi Xianya felt his physical reaction, snatched the first-aid kit from his hand and put it aside, pulled him, and made him bend down.
She tilted her head up, her innocent eyes wide, and asked, "Do you still despise me?"
"I don't despise you, it's just that we're not very familiar with each other." He had to admit she was alluring to him, but he still pulled her hand away and turned to go back to his room.
Xi Xianya felt lost and inferior, watching Ai Yifeng's back.
Qin Tianyi wouldn't want her, and Ai Yifeng wouldn't want her either... She felt dirty and unlikable, only fit to be a plaything for old men like Zhao Jianhua...
But before she could react, Ai Yifeng suddenly turned back to her, his breath hot as he approached her, pushed her onto the sofa, and kissed her overwhelmingly.
When Xi Xianya woke up, she felt sore all over. But seeing the man beside her with half his body hanging off the sofa, she smiled and looked at him dotingly, her body and mind filled with sweetness and satisfaction.
She realized how wonderful it was to be together willingly when she was fully conscious.
Ai Yifeng stirred in his sleep and was about to turn over, startling her. She quickly hugged him, afraid he would fall to the ground.
Ai Yifeng woke up with a start and met her eyes, looking somewhat flustered.
He had been abstinent for many years and never expected to have an inappropriate relationship with Xi Xianya, whom he didn't know very well.
"Good morning," Xi Xianya said shyly.
Before Ai Yifeng could even say good morning, he almost fell off the sofa. He quickly stood up and said, "Don't move... Your foot is injured. I, I'll go to the kitchen to make breakfast."
Xi Xianya smiled at his comical appearance and asked, "Are you planning to make breakfast like this?"
Ai Yifeng then realized he wasn't wearing anything. He quickly picked up his clothes from the floor, put them on, and fled to the kitchen in a hurry.
Xi Xianya turned away with a smile, but the sweetness only lasted for a moment. Thinking of having to deal with Zhao Jianhua, her mood became incredibly low.
If only she had met Ai Yifeng from the beginning. It was a shame to meet the right person at the wrong time.
Thinking this, she fell asleep again. When she woke up, she was alone in the house.
She got up in a hurry and saw breakfast prepared on the dining table, with a note placed on it.
As soon as her feet touched the ground, one of them felt pain.
Although her foot didn't hurt as much as yesterday, there was still a dull ache. She hopped on one foot to the dining table and looked at the note.
It read, "I've gone to work. I'll ask for leave for you. Rest here for the time being until your leg gets better."
Xi Xianya put away the note, smiled at his neat handwriting, and sat down at the dining table to eat breakfast.
It was then that she remembered she hadn't checked her phone all night. No matter what, she had to let her mother know she was safe.
She hopped around Ai Yifeng's apartment, thinking of boiling water and filling his kettle.
There was no plain boiled water at home; drinking too many beverages and alcohol was bad for one's health.
On the coat rack by the door, she found her bag and took out her phone, only to discover it was dead. She had to charge it first.
While her phone was charging, she looked around for any places that needed cleaning, only to find that Ai Yifeng's place was very tidy.
When she opened her phone, which was charging, she saw many missed calls and text messages.
Two of the missed calls were from Zhao Jianhua, and the rest were all from her mother.